Volunteer wrestling coach pleads not guilty to charges of sex abuse

May 28—RACINE — The former Horlick High School volunteer wresting coach facing allegations he sexually abused members of the team pleaded not guilty to the charges in Racine County Circuit Court on Thursday.

Benigno Velasquez, 60, faces 27 felony charges, including three counts of sexual assault by a person who volunteers with children, 16 counts relating to photos the defendant allegedly took in the locker room depicting nude teenagers, and six counts of possession of child pornography.

Judge Robert Repischak will preside over the case.

Both the defense and prosecution will now prepare for trial. A status conference was set for 9 a.m. on July 12.

The case against Velasquez began earlier this year with allegations the defendant was using a website to lure underage boys.

Unbeknownst to Velasquez, one purportedly underage boy was actually a police officer investigating the defendant's online activity. That investigation led to the arrest of Velasquez.

Once the story of his arrest was publicized, two witnesses came forward to report on his actions from a decade before at Horlick.

According to the criminal complaint, Velasquez focused his coaching, and sexual abuse, on wrestlers he deemed "the underdogs," those who were seeking approval of the other coaches.

Velasquez has never been officially employed by RUSD, according to the district, working with the Horlick wrestling team only as a volunteer.

Allegations of sex abuse

According to at least one of Velasquez's accusers, reports to another coach went unheeded.

One assistant coach — Leonard Velasquez, the defendant's brother — was reportedly told about Benigno Velasquez bringing his phone near the showers, and the wrestlers being concerned he was taking photos or videos.

After one wrestler told Leonard Velasquez about his concerns, Benigno Velasquez reportedly wasn't at practice sessions for about a week.

When he returned, Benigno Velasquez allegedly told one of the boys he was "owed" photographs.

According to the criminal complaint, Benigno Velasquez, in the guise of practicing wrestling with the student-athletes, would grab the genitals of the boys. One of the accusers alleged it happened to him more than 100 times over the course of several years.

Additionally, the defendant would allegedly make sexual comments to the wrestlers.

The second accuser to come forward said he didn't quit the team over the abuse because "the wrestlers were his only friends" even though "the coaches would make fun of his background and his religion," the complaint states.

According to the criminal complaint, one of the victims "did not want to report it before, because that is not what people did then," referring to about the year 2012, "and he also felt pressured not to bring shame on his family by reporting it."

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